


Mythophobia

by space0bongo



Series: Five Phobias [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Politics, American Politics, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friendship/Love, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 08:30:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5736730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space0bongo/pseuds/space0bongo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Clarke Griffin becomes president of the USA she breaks three records. She becomes the first female president ever, the youngest one (she is still only twenty-five), and according to a 'photo exclusive' published in Hello magazine two days before her inauguration ball, the only one to have a secret love-child with their Vice-President.</p><p>Part of my 5 Phobias series but can be read as a standalone.  Mythophobia - the fear of lying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mythophobia

**Author's Note:**

> Mythophobia - the fear of lying.  
> Please let me know if you would like to see me continue this. I have reams of ideas but writing is painful at the moment - am willing to give it try though if enough of you want me to.

When Clarke Griffin becomes president of the USA she breaks three records. She becomes the first female president ever, the youngest one (she is still only twenty-five), and according to a 'photo exclusive' published in Hello magazine two days before her inauguration ball, the only one to have a secret love-child with their Vice-President. 

 

"I'm so sorry," Bellamy is a mess when they finally have time to meet in the resulting furore. His usually impeccable hairstyle has turned into the riot of curls she'd only ever seen back when Octavia had colic and cried practically 24-7, and that was something considering they were pulling all-nighters during the campaign . His suit is creased. There are new lines around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. "If I'd known this would happen I'd have never invited you to that stupid play." He pushes both hands through his hair. "Fuck. I don't even know why I invited you in the first place. O was a *tree*."

 

"She was a very good tree," Clarke pushes her half-finished coffee across the desk and he takes it with a grateful quirk of his lips. "Look this doesn't have to be a big deal. We just need to figure out a strategy..."

 

"I'm not involving her birth mom," He says firmly. 

 

"You didn't even hear me out."

 

"No." He clenches his fist on the table. "I spent a lot of my time and *your* money to ensure she never got to ruin O's life all over again. Think of something else."

 

"Bell-"

 

"Come on you have Finn fucking Collins as your press secretary. I refuse to belive that he only gave you one way out of this shit show."

 

"Fine." Clarke slumps back in her seat, her fingers reaching up to massage her temple. "But you're not going to like the fall back option. I'm not sure I even like it. Maybe we should just see if this whole thing blows over."

 

-/-

 

The next photo that emerges in the run up to Clarke's inauguration ball actually breaks Twitter. It's a grainy shot of Clarke and Bellamy walking side by side after a charity dinner at which they both spoke. Clarke's wearing the pale green dress that her stylist had bullied her into, her curly hair spilling out everywhere from it's up-do. She had Bellamy's too-big jacket slung over her shoulders as he walked in front of her, her shoes in one hand and her hand in the other. They look like just another young couple walking home together after an evening out. Clarke feels sick.

 

"The path was uneven," She tells Finn faintly. "I held his hand for a _second_. Bellamy and I...we're not like that."

 

"It would be better for you both if you were." Finn says gently, his hand covering her knee. "People are already talking about this being some kind of publicity stunt to make you both more appealing to the Republican vote. They're questioning everything Clarke. Your policies, the way you won the election, whether Bellamy was hired because he was the right man for the job or because he looked good on your arm." He frowns. "If you said you loved each other. Well. That would put a whole new spin on things."

 

She glances up at Bellamy who is chainsmoking in a way she hasn't seen since college. With an irritated cluck she stands up and tears the cigarette from his lips.

 

"You stopped these for a good reason." She says as she stubs it out on the wall uncaring of the damage to the fifteen thousand dollar a square metre wallpaper. "And you haven't said a word since you got here." She bites her lip. "What are you thinking?"

 

"I'm _thinking_ that if we lied, said we l-loved each other, then it couldn't end. We'd have to get married and _make it work_ for the sake of both of our careers." And well that's the truth. Their whole team has already planned for Clarke to be in office for the full two terms with her nominating Bellamy has her successor afterwards; in fact several key members in her staff had been recruited based on that promise. And there was no way Bellamy would be allowed to remain if they pretended to be in a fake relationship then broke it off a few months later- the party would ensure he resigned. And if he resigned so would half of her office.

 

"Then we don't have a choice," She straightens her back and turns to Finn who is looking sadly at them both. "What's your plan?"

 

"A press conference," Finn replies, "where you tell the world exactly how much in love with each other you really are."

 

-/-

 

The headline photo that emerges the day after the inauguration ball, is of Clarke waltzing with Bellamy. She's wearing a blue Vera Wang dress that is so pale it looks white, her carefully curled hair tumbling down her shoulders, and Bellamy looking down at her with the kind of open tenderness he usually reserves just for Octavia.  It's a nice photo, the kind of photo she would want on her mantel, to keep between her and her loved ones.  Instead the media have plastered it everywhere for the entire world to see (and judge).

 

"Octavia asked me this morning if you're her real mom." Bellamy downs the whiskey Clarke poured out for him as soon as he arrived into her office the morning of the press conference. He's back to looking impeccable again, not a hair or a thread out of place.  She pours him another shot without being asked. "Apparently all the kids are talking about it. You'd think paying fifty thousand dollars a year would put a stop to school yard gossip."

 

"It'll soon blow over." She says mildly and he watches her as she returns to her side of the desk. "So, is there a reason you called for this meeting or...oh." And just like that, with the slide of a velvet ring box across the table, Clarke is rendered speechless. "Is this really necessary?"

 

"If we're going to do this, then I want to do it properly. Open it." She opens the box with clumsy fingers to find a familiar emerald solitaire sitting inside. She remembers the ring from countless nights sitting with him at the hospital their senior year of college, during his mom's last days.

 

"Do you like it?" 

 

"Yes of course I do. I just always thought you'd save it for Octavia." 

 

"It's my great-great-grandmother's ring." He reaches out to gently take it from the box and pushes it carefully onto her ring finger. It's not a perfect fit. Bellamy's mom was a delicate slip of a thing and Clarke is most definitely not. "It's been passed from mother to son in my family for generations."

 

He smooths his thumb over the stone before raising her hand to his lips, and Clarke suddenly wonders if he wants to have a son with her to continue the tradition. The thought shocks her into silence. "It suits you."

 

"Do you really think so?" Her voice breaks when his face falls.  "Or are you just saying this because you think this is our only option?"

 

"It is our only option Clarke," He bites his lip and doesn't quite look her in the eye.  "The sooner you get used to the idea the better."

 

He leaves shortly afterwards, leaving Clarke to stare at the ring and wonder what the hell she's doing.

 

-/-

 

_"How long have you been together?"_

_"When did you and Bellamy Blake meet?"_

 

"Bellamy and I began dating a year ago," Clarke smiles sweetly at the journalist who asked the question. "But we have been friends ever since Harvard." 

 

_"Are the rumors that you're Octavia Blake's birth mother true?"_

 

"No."

 

"Do you actually love each other?" This question was asked by a stern looking brunette with a pencil behind her ear. "Or is this all just a publicity stunt to appeal to the minority vote?"

 

"If I didn't love Bellamy I wouldn't have requested this conference," Clarke sets her mouth firmly. "I wanted to give you all the chance to ask as many questions as you need to, because after today." She narrows her eyes. "I'm not answering a single damned question about my love life."

 

"How is Bellamy Blake in bed?" Someone shouts from the back at the same time as someone else asks "Are you getting married?" Everybody laughs. 

 

"Yes," She answers seriously, prompting an almost media frenzy. "We haven't set a date yet but," She finally uncovers her left hand to reveal the ring Bellamy gave her that morning, "it is likely to be next year."

 

There are more questions but Finn expertly deflects them back to himself.  Clarke thinks that's for the best, she doesn't think she could lie any more even if she tried.

 

-/-

fin


End file.
